Specialized S-Works
S-Works Epic Evo

Details

Ever been in the middle of stage race and needed just a little more margin for error on the descents? Or maybe you've been speeding through the backcountry and felt beat up, near bonking, and you just needed to make it back to the trailhead without going over the bars? Yeah, we’ve been there, too. And that's why we made a bike that’s perfect for those situations. Say hello to the S-Works Epic EVO—it’s, well, a more "epic" Epic.

Take a look around our office and you're going to see plenty Epics—most of them wearing dropper posts, wider tires and bars, and slightly longer forks. That's because the Epics that we're Frankensteining are not only fast off the start line, they're even better suited to masochistically long rides, multi-day stage races, and fast backcountry missions. At some point, we looked around and said to ourselves, “We should offer this bike, right out of the box, right?” So we did.

So let's dig into the details. First off, the EVO ups the fork travel from 100mm to 120mm. This gives you some relief up front while also slacking-out the front-end by one-degree to 68.5º. Next up, we added a zero-offset dropper post to give you more control on descents, but this design keeps your saddle over the BB on steep climbs. We also put some meat on the tires with a grippy 2.3" Ground Control at the front and a stiffer Fast Trak at the rear with GRID protection at the sidewalls.

The Epic EVO also features our Brain 2.0. The OG Brain changed the way the bike world looked at suspension, and oh was it good. It won races and put a flag in the ground for us as a true leader in innovation and suspension development, but we knew that we could make it better. Simple physics told us that, by moving the Brain closer to the rear axle, it would be in the most sensitive spot. And after some lengthy R&D, it's totally new. Now, it reacts seamlessly to bump forces, it has much more consistent damping performance, and finally, it integrates the hoses into the suspension links. This means that the oil paths are improved, and that creates an incredibly sleek package that outperforms anything on the market.

This is also among our first Rider-First Engineered MTB frames, where the tubes place complex carbon pieces in all the right places, regardless of the frame size. As a result, stiffness is increased in the front-end for a vast improvement in the ride and in control. And to go along with this, each frame size has size-specific tubes that result in the stiffest, best-riding XC bike we've ever developed.

And while stiffness, Brain technology, and geometry features are cool and all, we know what you’re thinking, "What about the weight?” We’re glad you asked. The weight-savings on the frame is equivalent to shedding a chainstay and shock extension from the previous Epic—nearly 525 grams. And now, carbon models also feature additional tire clearance to accommodate wider, 2.3-inch tires. More traction, ultimately, equals more speed.

The build of this S-Works Epic EVO spares no expense, featuring Shimano’s new 12-speed XTR groupset and brakes, a FOX Factory Step-Cast 34 fork, and a hand-built Roval Control SL carbon wheelset.

- A FOX Factory Step-Cast 34 handles suspension duties up front with 120mm of plush travel. The Fit4 damper provides plenty of adjustability, while the new Step-Cast design keeps weight at a minimum while boosting stiffness.- The Roval Control SL carbon wheels are the ultimate XC wheelset. They feature a 25mm internal width for low rolling resistance, a strong, hookless bead rim construction, and an ultra-low weight of only 1320 grams.- A dropper post on an XC bike? Yeah, you can thank us later. Adding minimal weight, but tons of shredability, the FOX Factory Transfer dropper post, with zero-offset, keeps your position over the bottom bracket and it gets out of the way while you're descending.